I believe it's the logo and the beautiful design--also the use of the color red. I think French women love dashes of red. And Carol, I love the blog!!!! You are such an inspiration. Merci beaucoup for all you do! xo Jamie

The first alcoholic drink I was ever offered at a [French] student party was "Rhum-Coca" -- and I know a lot of young French people still drink that when they go out at night. Maybe they keep drinking the soda once they "grow up" out of nostalgia for their students' days? It could also be that Coke's marketing in Europe as been as effective as McDo's, as demonstrated by the pictures in your post. One last thing: Yes, it is too dang expensive for such a vile drink, but hey, it's American, and there are bubbles, and it's still cheaper to order than "a coupe" (of champagne) -- Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

It seems I've wandered back to Paris on a very odd note. Coca Cola is everywhere it seems. I found it in the most obscure villages in the middle of nowhere India! It doesn't surprise me that it has infiltrated Paris. But I must say, Coca Cola in a Parisian Cafe?!? Et yuck indeed!

I do love the hip packaging though and as someone above mentioned, sometimes it does hit the spot. But I'm not a fan of the encroachment of America on lovely places like Paris.

I gave up drinking colas of any kind as a health issue. Hope they dont learn the hard way. Just saw on GMA today..Good Morning America.. that Coca cola was using a white can for Christmas and it didnt go over big at all and went back to the red can. People even said it tasted different. Too funny.

When I first visited Paris in the 70s, it was next to impossible to find chilled drinks. It was a hot summer and we drank Coke because we could buy cold cans of it. Well, chilled cans; the store near our hotel kept it in with the butter.

My take on this is that it is silly to pay more for soda than for wine, but everyone has the right to choose. Also, there are times when a nice cold Coca Cola really hits the spot for a lot of us. It's a matter of personal choice, like lemon tarts versus apple tartin.

I agree with the "it's American therefore it's cool" hypothesis. In Italy it's pretty much the same...you should see how much people are willing to pay for Levi's and Timberland (not to mention Abercrombie stuff).Furthermore, among European immigrants to the US there is the conviction that Coke actually tastes a bit different in our countries (less sweet perhaps...probably because it's not served diluted with a lot of ice?). This could also explain the unexplainable partiality of French for this drink...As always, an interesting post, Carol! :)

*red face*...when I lived in France it was one of the few things from US I had around. There was not much from the States anyway. My French friends here & there like it...someone had it above: it's a hip thing. No one I know guzzles it like so many do here. Of course, they are not perfect, oy. What about stinky Gitanes? Etc.

I almost had a perfect analogy but it's slipped away. Anyway, I like to allow peeps their imperfections. It would be so boring if they were perfect.:)

McDonalds is way more insidious and destructive than Coke. I was in a park in Paris a few years back and an effortlessly stylish mom was trying to get her children off the play space. Nothing got the children's attention until she called out "McDo" which instantly turned the children into little robots with golden arches in their eyes. More bad news;

I heard recently that McDonalds was going to have an outlet inside the Louvre (a quick witted friend remarked "I'm Louvre'n it"). The French should have said "non" to McDonalds before the first one opened.

Cris, there is way too much BPA (Bisphenol-A) in the lining of US soda cans - another reason to avoid sodas.I don't know about in France, though there is a preference for the attractive glass bottle when eating out.

Amazing hwo a foreign product can be so seductive! And I hope you saw NBC news tonight with their coverage of the special seasonal Polar Bear cans for Coke...even with the same coke in both, people swear the white cans don't taste as good!Are you going to the auction of :iz Taylor's jewels?

Re: the coca in white cans, It amazes me that American TV networks consider it "news" . Bah humbug!The French are almost perfect in every other way.I would rather read your fun stuff about Paris and NYC than anything they print in our local paper.Thanks for all the " REAL news"you show us daily!Fan from Rural Oregon~ merci!

Family had interest in coke bottling facility,so first thing when I got in town for my summer visit, was for my grandfather to drive me out to the warehouse to get a couple of cases back when it was only in bottles & only one size. I soon became a connoisseur at an early age. I detect taste difference depending on where it is bottled. It's the water often. I also prefer sugar to hi- fructose corn syrup. Now I only occasionally drink them & was going to a Hispanic grocery to get Mexican Coke for that reason. Alas, the last one I purchased there had HFCS!!!!! Like others said sometimes a really ice cold Coca Cola hits the spot, or sometimes it is medicinal, if sipped slowly, for a bad tummy.I don't think it should be drunk like water. even as a child I was only allowed it in small amounts as a treat, back when that meant something other than complete indulgence all the time. Maybe if it were very expensive here, it would not be a health hazard.

My daddy always said that Coke corrodes my innards. Hence, no Coke for me. Interesting that advertisements are so ubiquitous in Paris. I can't recall a single incident here. Maybe I don't frequent the right establishments? ;-)

Oh, Carol, dare I differ from you on this issue...shall I be shunned. In our Dr. Pepper country here in Waco, TX I choose Coke. Now at most I drink it a couple of times a month, but do forgive me that it is a nice taste of home when I am overseas. As to it's popularity in Paris...I am tres surprised.

Almost all girls at my office (in Copenhagen) drink coke constantly and we've had debates about whether or not they drink it because it tastes good or because they just can't help themselves. It's pretty much the latter. (I just heard someone opening up a new can and it's 08.36 am.)... Some use diet coke to repress hunger.

I don't think coke is vile... actaully I kind of like it. And not because it's cool or anything. The Europeans and the French for that matter are not immune to sugar addictions or Coca Cola's commercials.

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♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5 and I'm still at it. Now I live by the Seine on l'Ile Saint-Louis. Do consider subscribing to my Paris letters and maps on Etsy and enjoy a taste of Paris in your mailbox every month to savor with a hot chocolate and croissant. I paint Paris dreams.